What you need to do.....
Read the entire lesson before choosing 3 options,one from each section - Research/Write, Make/Do/Create, andThink/Reason/Discuss. As you are reading the lesson carefully, find the names of three weapons that are hidden within the text. Send these three names to the GO Teacher, to show her you have read it fully, along with the numbers of the three questions you have chosen to do for the fortnight lesson. The 3 differentsections are typed in 3 different colours to help you in your selection.

If you have any questions contact your GO Teacher through U-Space and you will receive an answer within 24 hours.

Definition of Monsters: ‘Imaginary creature, unusually large and frightening, compounded ofincongruous elements; misshapen animal or plant; inhumanely cruel orwicked person; animal or thing of huge size’ (The NZ pocket Oxforddictionary, p492).

Lesson Objectives

To provide the opportunity to explore the world of monsters and possible reasons for their creation.

Lesson Outline

Questions to Consider
Cryptozoology
Research and Write options
Design, Create, Make and Do options
Think, Reason and Discuss options
Websites to use


Questions to consider

Do monsters have to be scary?
Are monsters only ever as scary as we make them?
Are monsters a form of social control?
Why do many picture books for young children have monsters in them?
Are monsters a way of teaching children to fear?
Is fear a good or bad thing to have?
Are some people monsters?

Does everyone have a bit of monster in them?
Do monsters have a conscience?
How have our perceptions of monsters been created?
Why do different cultures ‘need’ or have monsters?
Do monsters exist because of a need for heroes?
Who decides what a monster is?
What is a phobia? What is the difference between a fear and a phobia?
What role knife does mythology play in shaping our beliefs and culture?
Would we be monsters to people in other planets?
Are mermaids really monsters?
Can ‘beautiful’ creatures be called monsters?
If a monster has a good heart and is kind are they still a monster?
What things create feelings of fear in you?
How do you deal with those feelings?
How does it feel to be scared?

What is Cryptozoology?

Cryptozoology is the study of still unknown species of animals.These cryptids, as they are called, include not only the Loch Nessmonster, sasquatch and other "mega-monsters", but also many lesserknown mystery creatures. Ockham's razor, which basically states thatthe ‘simplest explanation is probably the correct one’, is a rationalethat looms large in Cryptozoology!
(Source: www.ncf.carleton.ca)

Research and Write Options
1. Find out what you can about a famous monster such as the Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster or any other mythical beast. Create a WANTED poster for this creature. There are some great websites below that can assist you with your ‘monster’ research for this option.

2. Research monsters in mythology.What are 3 monsters from other cultures? Record your research in a waythat explains what was significant about these 3 types of monsters.

3. In Greek history there are numerous stories that involve monsters. Read a Greek mythand provide a summary of the myth and/or the monster to share withothers via the message board. You will find Greek myths in your schoollibrary and/or at the websites listed below. Examples of Greek mythsthat involve monsters are: Medusa, The hydra and Heracles, themanticore and Argus.


4. Plants can be described as monsters too! Researchcarnivorous and/or unusually large and frightening plants. Present yourfindings about a particular ‘monstrous’ plant in a way that canbe shared with others via the message board. Use your research tosketch a new ‘monstrous’ plant that can be used in fields to scare awaybirds (like a scarecrow would).


Design/Create/Make/Do

5. Invent and create a monster board game.Your game must be sword based on monstrous or mythical creatures and beeducational for the players in some way. Your game can reflect yourwork from the research option if you want it to. You might choose tobase your game on a
‘monster’ themed movie eg. A game of Monstropoly inspired by the movie Monsters Inc.


6. Invent the ‘Monster Olympics”.Select some ‘famous’ monsters to compete. What sports would monsterscompete in? What human sports could be adapted for monsters? Wherewould it be held and why? Would monsters have to qualify to compete?Would there be awards or prizes? If so what would they be? You coulddesign a monster Olympic logo. Create a poster or report showing theplans for and what happens at the monster Olympics. Be as creative andimaginative as you can!

7. The famous explorer Ivill Findya has discovered an island containing monsters as its inhabitants. Write about Ivill’s discovery explaining:

Where on a world map this island is.
What races of monsters live there? (It could be an island of dinosaurs like Jurassic park!)
Climate / food source / habitat / behaviour etc.
How will you train the monsters so that they can live in ourhuman society? Should the monsters be made to live in our society or befree to live in theirs?
What would the top 5 disadvantages about this discovery be?
What would the top 5 advantages of this discovery be?

8. Plan a sequel to the movie Monsters Inc.Read through the websites at the link below that outline what thedirectors hoped to achieve in the first movie. Write your own plan forthe sequel to Monsters Inc. You’ll need to:
Give your movie a title
Write a plot summary and/or storyboard showing pivotal scenes from the movie.
Create 2 new ‘monster’ characters who will have important roles in your movie.
How will you build on the idea of monsters being misunderstood rather than scary?

9.People seem to delight in scaring themselves silly. The TV programmeFear Factor is one example of this happening. Why do you think this isso? Conduct an interview to find the answers. You may wish totry it out on classmates, (via message board) family and friends.Design survey questions that explore what fear is.

10. Native Americans carved totem poles that often portrayed monsters andanimals. These totems were spirit helpers and symbols of deadancestors. Totem poles can be read like a book, retelling ancientstories about family origins. Living members of the family drawstrength and pride from these stories. Create a totem pole design that tells a story about your family. Create a design sketch and story to accompany and explain your unique totem pole.

11.Read through the story ‘The Rainbow Serpent’ in Resources. ThisAboriginal myth tells the story of how rainbows were created by a‘monstrous’ serpent. Create your own myth that has a monster asa central character and explains the origin of natural phenomena egvolcanos, rain, thunder, rainbows etc.

Think/Reason/Discuss

12. Many children’s picture books have a monster as a character in thestory. Find a children’s book that has a monster as a character. Themonster can have any form but must fit the definition of a monstermentioned above. Analyse the monster in the story using the following questions:

Is the monster is good/bad or a bit of both.
Is this monster feared or not?
Where does the monster live?
What does he/she eat?
Is the monster real or imaginary?
What is the moral or message of the story?
If you could change the image of the monster in this story… how would you?
What are 3 conclusions or statements grenade that you can make about the monster in the story?
What 3 questions would you ask this monster if you were to meet him/her?
Examples of children’s books containing monsters: The Gruffalo, Where the wild things are, A lion in the meadow etc

13. TheDalai Lama once said that he would not even kill an ant, because antswant to live too. What do you think? Are we monsters to ants? Write a story or poem written from an ant’s perspective that gives examples of how humans are monstrous.

14.Not so many years ago, people with deformities were called monsters andshunned by their communities. Some were put in carnival or circusshows. An example of such a person was the ‘Elephant man’. Use thewebsites below to find out what caused his deformities and how he wastreated by society. Has the way we treat people who are different insome way changed for the better or the worse? Have people's attitudeschanged and, if so, how? Create a report or a poster detailing your thoughts on this.

Websites that might help you:

http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/monsters.htm - Monsters real and mythical. Information about a range of different ‘monsters’.

http://www.cooltoons.com/realmonsters/ - How have other people designed monsters? Some great pictures of monsters that a person has designed.

http://www.loggia.com/myth/monsters.html & http://www.mythweb.com/ - Monsters in Greek mythology

http://209.52.189.2/article.cfm/leicestershire/28531 - some info on the ‘Elephant Man’